Loose leaf binder



March 7, 1933. J 'c D WS N 1,900,431

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Fil ed Aug. 25, 1931 Jam 25 apew/son/ Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES JAMES C. DAWSON, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed August 25,1931. Serial No. 559,189.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders, and has for its principal object to provide three or more pairs of paper holding prongs on wire arch frames moving in unison to open and close all the prongs at once.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the disclosure proceeds and the description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing,

in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention, portions of the cover being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the metal parts of the binder assembled, the end portions being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the two pairs of arch frames and a connecting strap used in making the assembly shown in Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 2, respectively.

But these specific illustrations and the correspondingly specific description are used solely for the purpose of illustration, and are not intended to limit the protection to the particular form, for common knowledge will enable others to vary those forms while retaining the spirit of the invention.

The body of the metal assembly is formed by an arched plate 10, having curved marginal flanges 11 which form bearings for the wire arch frames.

Two pairs of wire arch frames 12 and 13, as shown in Fig. 3, are preferably used. Each frame such as 14 of pair 12 consists of a substantially straight body portion of wire, having the inclined arms 15 adjacent the ends of the body portion and which connect it with the substantially straight bearing portions 16, one of each of which is grooved at 17 to receive the correspondingly rounded portion on the other frame. Beyond the bearing portions the wire is bent substantially at right angles to form prongs 18, which are curved so that two mating prongs will form a sort of ring for holding perforated sheets of paper.

The arch frames 25 are similar to the frames 14 in all respects except that the prongs 18 are cut short in this particular illustration to form stub portions 180, so short that they do not project above the plate 10 and, therefore, do not make any holding engagement with the paper to be bound.

It will thusvbe seen that one pair of arch frames,-as illustratedat 12, suppliestwo sets of paper holding prongs, and the other pair of arch frames, 13, supplies an additional set of paper-holding prongs, from which it will be clear that any number of prongs may 'beprovided by suitable variation in the number and formation of the frames.

In order to make the three or more sets of prongs open and close together straps 19 are welded to correspondingprongs 18 and stub portions 180 of the frames 14 and 25. It has been found that one strap, 19, is sufficient for ordinary purposes, but in an abun- 0 dance of precaution against failure in service two may be used, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The application of the straps 19 may be made to satisfy personal preference, but alinement is facilitated by first assembling the two pairs of wire arch frames in the plate 10, as illustrated in the drawing, and then welding one or more of the straps 19 in. place. This operation will be facilitated by grinding the arms 18 and stub portions 180 or otherwise flattening them to provide greater surface contact withthe straps 19.

Some welders, however, will prefer the line contact afforded by the rounded surface of 1 the wire, in order to concentrate the are at onestage of the welding operation.

I claim'as my invention 7 1. In a. loose leaf binder, a plate having marginal flanges, a pair of wire arch frames, each frame having bent'portions, each engaging the corresponding portion of the other frame and carrying mating paper hold ing prongs and assembled between the flanges of the plate to form a toggle, whereby the prongs are held in open or closed position, a Q second pair of similar wire arch frames assembled in like manner between the flanges of the plate in end to end relation with the first pair, the prongs at the adjacent end of the second pair of frames being cut away to form stub portions too short for holding engagement with the paper to be bound, and a strap welded to'one of the stub portions and the adjacent prong of the corresponding frame of said first pair whereby they are constrained to move in unison when the prongs are opened and closed.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a plate having marginal flanges, a pair of wire arch frames, each frame having bent portions, each engaging the corresponding portion of the other frame and carrying mating paper holding prongs and assembled between the flanges of the plate to form a toggle, whereby the prongs are held in open or closed position, a second pair of similar wire arch frames assembled in like manner between the flanges of the plate in end to end relation with the first pair, the prongs at the adjacent end of the second pair of frames being cut away to form stub portions too short for holding engagementwith the paper to be bound, and means for binding one of the stub portions to the adjacent prong of the corresponding frame of said first pair whereby they are constrained to move in unison when the prongs are opened and closed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES o. DAWSON. 

